Scott Ledoux served as an Anoka County Commissioner from 2004 to 2010. But years before his shift to politics, LeDoux, or “The Fighting Frenchman,” was a professional heavyweight boxer. In this episode, Scott describes his time as a boxer, as boxing commissioner for Minnesota, and how he decided to run for County Commissioner to serve Andover, Coon Rapids, and Fridley.
Hosts Rebecca Ebnet Desens, ACHS Executive Director, and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
Read MoreIn this episode we remember Pearl Harbor with Charles Triggs. He served on the USS Wright, a sea plane tender, during WWII stationed at Pearl Harbor. He describes his journey to enlisting in the Navy, his responsibilities, and the shock of returning from a routine mission on December 7, 1941 to find the ships in the harbor destroyed, sunk, or still burning.
Hosts Rebecca Ebnet Desens, ACHS Executive Director, and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
Read MoreArthur Donald “Two Gun Pete” Caswell was born in 1898 and saw a different world than we do today. Through a couple recordings of him from 1977 and 1983 he shares snippets of his life during before serving in WWI, his time as a federal officer during Prohibition raiding stills, and as an inventor to make shooting ranges safer and more efficient.
Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
Read MoreArthur Donald “Two Gun Pete” Caswell was born in 1898 and saw a different world than we do today. Through a couple recordings of him from 1977 and 1983 he shares snippets of his life during before serving in WWI, his time as a federal officer during Prohibition raiding stills, and as an inventor to make shooting ranges safer and more efficient.
Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
Read MorePearl Marea Schenk was born in 1911 on her family’s farm along the Mississippi River in Ramsey (city). Over 90 years later she sat down to share her memories of growing up on the Howling Hound Farm, the changes as highway 10 became busier and busier, and the transition from horses, to cars, and then greyhound bus on her school commute along the way.
Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
Read MoreNo one expects disaster to hit - but a flood, fire, or severe storm can destroy priceless, one-of-a-kind artifacts faster than staff can react. Follow along with ACHS Collections Manager Kassy as she attends a Disaster Planning Workshop and begins the process of creating an official disaster plan for ACHS. And here’s a bonus thought: much of the information is applicable to your personal items and storm damage at home (as Rebecca has unfortunately found out!)
Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
Read MoreWhat’s it like living in a haunted house? Jen Shoemaker and her family (along with a couple permanent, ghostly residents) lived at 403 Van Buren in Anoka for four years. Hear how they came to own this beautiful home, the surprise of finding that their new house was on the Ghosts of Anoka Tour, and all the supernatural occurrences they experienced along the way.
Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.
This episode is a reboot of episode 1.20.
Read MoreSamuel Starrett has become the literal poster child for the annual Ghosts of Anoka Walking Tour at ACHS. As the guides lead over 1,000 people past his home on Madison St. in Anoka, they share his legacy and stories from the homeowners about how he never really left. In this episode, you'll learn more about his daughter Alice through the eyes of ACHS volunteer Dave VenHuizen, who transcribed her six diaries. Dave chats with Rebecca about what he learned about Alice, her family, and the city of Anoka by reading her thoughts as a young society woman. Follow along with the conversation, join them on a trip to the Starrett home, meet its current owner for an inside look, and hear Heather Birch's first introduction to Sam.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreOn Friday afternoons at the Anoka County History Center, Jane LaMusga takes her place, ready to research family genealogies or the museum mystery of the day. Jane grew up in the city of Anoka and received a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University. In this episode, and across social media as “Genealogist Jane”, she shares how she started her genealogy journey, and her tips and tricks along the way.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreIt isn’t uncommon for people to stop Lynn Klonowski and ask, “Are you related to that coach or counselor in Anoka?” In this episode Lynn, accompanied by her niece Nichole, remembers her father and mother — telling the stories of their life, victories, death, and her own adoption story. Mark Klonowski worked as a coach at Anoka High School, and then served as Principal at Anoka Junior High until his unexpected death in 1965. Anna Klonowski triple majored in college before working as a math teacher and later a school counselor.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director
Read MoreOn February 2, 1944 Richard Sorenson risked his life above and beyond the call of duty by jumping on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines, and miraculously survived himself. For those actions on July 19, 1944 he received the Medal of Honor. In this episode Richard Sorenson sat down with John Weaver (ACHS Board President at the time) and another WWII veteran R.W. Johnson to discuss growing up in Anoka, his enlistment story, and the events that led up to and after his injuries in the Marshall Islands during WWII.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Steve Florman, ACHS Board of Directors.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreAn expanded partnership between the Anoka Middle School for the Arts in Anoka and ACHS created a surprisingly fun result—fan fiction from the diary of a local Civil War veteran. Listen to the Creative Writing students as they explored the historical fiction genre and how each of their characters met, interacted with, or were related to James Groat who served for a time with the 1st Minnesota.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreAt just 16 square blocks, Hilltop stands as the smallest city in Anoka County while also completely surrounded by Columbia Heights. Matthew Schneeman took an audio journey to this special space to tell the story of its creation. This episode includes a rebroadcast of KFAI’s MinneCulture episode, “The Tiny City That Almost Wasn’t.”
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreIn this episode, learn about the secret lives of those closest to ACHS! Don Johnson (ACHS Staff) and Allison Schmitt (ACHS Board Member) chat about their experiences in archaeology and geophysics while also dispelling the myth of being a real-life Indiana Jones. They share how their academic skills transfer to the museum, proving that indeed, no education is ever wasted.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreKassy and Rebecca (ACHS Archivist and Director) traveled to a conference overrun by other history nerds this past month, and brought the microphones along with them. Listen to what the museum folk got up to at the Minnesota Alliance of Local History (MAHLM) conference, how Kassy survived the SPAM museum, and conversations with museum friends all over MN from Otter Tail County to Richfield.
Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, Kassy Mackenthun, ACHS Collections Manager, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreThe Association of Midwest Museums, the largest network of museum professionals in the Midwest, invited ACHS staff to participate in their Essential Questions Series focusing on the challenges and triumphs we experienced during the pandemic. Rebecca, Kassy, and Sara discuss the unexpected opportunities that arose from slowing down as well as how we continue to carry those lessons into the future.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreThe ACHS Cemetery Tours are back by popular demand this spring! But what does it take to organize, research, and put on a tour? Go behind-the-scenes with Daryl Lawrence and Sara Given as they share the winding road that ends at Glen Cary Cemetery in Ham Lake and Forest Hills Cemetery in Anoka.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreVickie Wendel returns from retirement to chat about her 30 years working at the Anoka County Historical Society. Vickie saw the museum through the introduction of computers and internet (at different times of course), and our move from Colonial Hall to the current building. During that transition when a contractor bid $20,000 to create the first exhibit, Vickie declared she would get it done!
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
Read MoreConstruction on the Coon Rapids Dam began December 1912. This episode explores the journey it took to build a dam that spanned nearly half a mile across the Mississippi River. Hear its history as well as the voices of those who worked there in its early years, or lived next to it in one of the remaining seven “dam houses.”
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Kassandra Mackenthun, ACHS Collections Manager.
Read MoreJill Morrison from Bee Memorable Marketing joins Rebecca to talk about local non-profit Toys for Joy, and how different generations approach furnishing their lives, and being able to pass on those pieces.
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
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